I have been very lucky to spend a lot of time doing hikes in Canada - across all provinces and territories. What I look for in a great day hike is superlative scenery - with my preference being coast, lake or mountain views or even something that makes the hike unique. The Mingan with its fantastic eroded rock monoliths would be a great example. I'm not a fan of hiking miles through forests without a…
A trip to see the Northern Lights in Canada is bucket list worthy. Canada ranks high as one of the top places in the world to see the lights, though that shouldn't come as a surprise considering our northern geography. And yet I suspect only a small percentage of Canadians have actually seen the Northern Lights in Canada. You need clear nights without light pollution and the ability to stay up late. Often the Northern…
Wondering what outdoor adventures in Canada to do this summer? These 22 bucket list worthy adventures in Canada - two in each province except for PEI and one in each of the northern territories should give you plenty of fresh ideas. I've personally tested all of these adventures in Canada but picking a favourite would be nearly impossible. It depends on the weather, the company, the season - along with a little je ne sais…
Canada is huge. It's the second largest country in the world so it's best to focus on just a few areas if you plan to visit Canada in summer. From St. John's, Newfoundland to Victoria, British Columbia it's roughly a distance of 7,400 kilometres. And from Vancouver heading north to Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory, it's 2,400 kilometres. Add another 1,200 kilometres to reach Inuvik, the last community of any size before the Arctic Ocean. …
The drive between from Calgary all the way through to Jasper, Alberta is a treat. Once you're about 20 minutes west of Calgary you get into big sky country and from there it just gets better and better. Highlights include the area around Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise, Bow Lake and the Columbia Icefields. I personally think the drive between Banff and Jasper is the most scenic drive in Canada - though there is some close competition -…
Fall in Canada is my favourite time of year. It's time to think about what you can do to take advantage of what I think is the best season in Canada. With a little luck we'll get loads of sunny warm days, cool nights and no bugs. Here are 16 places to visit and things to do in Canada in fall. Check out the fall foliage at hot spots across Canada this fall Hit the…
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Canada is an exceptional country for outdoor addicts. Bordered by three oceans and home to several mountain ranges, as well as thousands of lakes, and hundreds of rivers, the trick is narrowing down the geographic area you want to explore. Detailed below are 5 of the best adventures in Canada. While I have done literally hundreds of adventures in the country I always have a hard time picking…
Dawson City, Canada's Klondike City, is a small town with a big presence in the Yukon. It sits in the heart of the Klondike region - made famous by the Klondike Gold Rush in the late 1800's. Tens of thousands of prospectors congregated here - hoping to make their fortune. Few did. Today the Klondike City is home to about 1,300 people yet it hosts 60,000 visitors a year. The reason - the town is…
Even though I've finished my book - Discover Canada: 100 Inspiring Outdoor Adventures, it doesn't mean that I've stopped thinking and dreaming about where else in Canada I'd like to visit. The list never gets shorter. Here's my updated bucket list for Canada. British Columbia Backpack the Juan de Fuca Trail on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Done and the post is here. I'm a sucker for remote beaches and wild landscapes so the North Coast Trail…
Last week's introduction to Baffin Island wasn't a warm one - as far as the temperature was concerned. And it didn't really get much better for several days. Fortunately though the scenery did. Our plan was to hike along the Weasel River to the high point at Akshayuk Pass by Summit Lake, crossing the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island in the process. Although distances were short, the hiking was slow because of the 50 -…